Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-04-30

breeze, but that was rather an uncertain method.
might be blowing. At last far to the east, 1
caught the flare OF rocket. There were number
OF them in the ear and knew the color. Another,
and yet another. There was no doubt my uncle
was there. But where was there? 1t might be
many miles away. Presently discovered that the
EXPLOSIONS T proceeded from what appeared TO be a
star. That must be uncle's light. Sure enough, 1t
moved about on the sky In very unstarlike fash
ion, lacking Ike sail-bOat. How many conjunc-
lions and OCCUPATIONS 1t executed with Its heay-
emily peers it would be astonishing to say 1t
seemed 70 De intent on paying visit TO each
shining light In Orion This zigzag motion assured
me tnat III was approaching, for had it still been
drifting 1t would have seemed immovabie or pro-
ceeded In straight line. / soon found that
S St saslly PICK it out from among the starry
! was In a speculative mood ] preferred TO stare
INTO vacancy and abandon myself TO my thoughts
Ny situation was one Of some gravity In more
senses than one. AL my difficulties arose from
the laws or gravity. What an insignificant Cir
cuinstance would IL be to lie on the face OF this
pyramid, provided the base OF the pyramid rested
on the ground? wondered how ever came TO be
enlOwed With so much gravity without sirSt being
Conoulted never asked for 1t; never wanted to
possess any gravity. But whence came all this
grave Inconvenience? y, i knew, il was the at
traction OF the earth. Remembered some expert
mentS tn which an electrified ball was held over
little Particles of cork, and how they would fly
against Ii and stick to it. That's the way would
ny To TINS earth under me, and stick to ito, my,
SUCK 10 I'LL only let go this apex.
Next began TO consider, II did let go, where
would suffer greater calamity, sliding along a
SlOS or along an edges the slight inclination OF
the side would OF course keep me close against it,
and so should be exposed to the friction OF more
Than 900 1eet OF Stone WALL and all in about FIVE
seconds / remember when little fellow how I
used to watch a SciSsors-grinder with his little
wheel going around so swiftly as to seem immOv-
able, and making spray Of sparks lily from the
small TO what / would assume In my descent
Would make sparks fly? That would be interest
Ing, at least to an impartial spectator, but 1T
scarcely probable. was TOO young, and not hard
enough. One thing was sure; would be a very
polished gentleman when arrived at the bottom
IL sid along the edge | might by pressing
knees and arms against the sides retard ny de-
scent somewhat, but certainly not enough to
make IL harmless And then the sharp edge
against my median line. 1t would surely cut me
In two. First slight scratch on my vest, then
through the various layers Of ratment upon me-
tnen through my skin, AMI deeper deeper, deeper,
till IL came out at the back, and fell apart. At
what height would my dissection be completed?
And Wien the two halves arrived at the base how
iar from the corner would each come to lie?
With these comforting thoughts in my mind,
nad oeen gazing into vacancy, as said, and now
and then turning to where saw what now con-
cut OH by my uncles rapid approach. The air.
ship loomed on the sky, f1rst faint and blurred,
then more distinct in outline, till at last with my
Telescope diScerned my uncleS form. Very soon
heard nlS cheering voice: Courage, my boy, I'll
get there yet" BY this time the breeze had slack
ened, and the ship came on with marvellous rapid
lty. IL passed over he, and my uncle threw me
rope. Alas, 1t fell within three feet OF me, and
presently trailed away. Once more my death was
near ior w, was on the point OF grabbing or even
checked me. When / recovered, saw the ship
WITH It's light once more drifting helplessly before
the breeze. My uncle told Inc afterward that in
his excitement he had thrown the machinery into
disorder, and it refused to obey the rudder.
MY spirits now began 10 sink. Must 1 pass
SletplcoS night on this fearful height? l began to
notice with alarm that my eyelidS were becoming
heavy, and, moreover, the westerly breeze was
blowing In unrestrained freedom over me and
chilling me TO the bone. The stone was cold. cold
ana dared not move my hands from the spot they
had warmed by their contact. My chin had thus
lar been proudly overlapping the aluminium point,
OUT my neck began TO ache, and l reclined my
cheek against the southern side, with the edge OF
the aluminium pyramid against my temple. i am
Very enthusiastic, as general thing over alumni
mum, the metal OF the future admiring its light
ness, Its freedom from rust, its hardness and
beautiful ring. But wished its edge mad been
gentier 10 me. Presently found that my new
position favored sleep, ana so once more raised
my chin above the cruel point.
Now happened thing which for time gave me
great hope. Thefog which had lain over the city,
needless OF the breeze seemed all at once to thin
out Ike steam from locomotive till was en-
aoled 10 discern the Shapes OF distant houses The
breeze at this time was coming from the south
west Hundreds Of people were passing I'D and
down pennsylvania avenue. Was it possible that
no one cast glance at the monument? 1t is true
was not as conspicuous on the west side as
would have been on the northern: but from the
northern could have made no observations. /
tr1ed 10 compromise. / took OF my coat and
spread 1t cut on the north side. But as IL all
the powers OF Ill luck were combined against me
oSShtOly Ado StTctCutu sell Oack lnLO
original position when an unexpected gust of wind
carried my coat away. At first l took this for a
good augury. The coat might fan In freQuented
street, and its derivation would at once be incurred
into. watched 1t anxtOuSly with my telescope
IL sailed gracefully, like an autumn leaf I'm a Zfo
gag 7 course toward 18th street. slender young
lady was just coming down the street. and turn.
Ing into Pennsylvania avenue when the coat de-
scended upon her back, and the sleeves were
In terror, aud would have fallen had she not been
upheld by young man who had Just turned the
corner. A dense crowd gathered about the fallen
would look TO see where the coat came from and
they certainly would Look In my direction WHY
shouldn't they? certainly would If were there.
AND noW interesting it would be to see a man on
the top OF the monument! o, if could only be
down There and look at myself up here! And then
began to Speculate how could possibly attain
the Iulfillnent OF this wish, but couldn't see nav
way clearly. In the meantime the crowd dis
persed without apparently having taken any no
tice OF me- ! was Still gazing wistrully after
them, when sudden SwOoplDg noise aroused me
Ny uncle and his machine Shot past at a distance
OF less than 20 feet. l heard him shout sour"
1ecJed that he had probably said courage bur
that the second syllable was lost in the wind
What In the world could be the matter? The
machine used TO De Obet1ient as thing of reason
He had evidently quite lost control OF it. Now he
was careertng at full speed westward over Airing
ton Heights. Was he travelling home without me?
There was lump in my throat. An Involuntary
groan escaped me. My hands were becoming very
numb, and my arms and legs were falling asleep
nun Iuci uuCOHliOItaplc position. i feared
could not hold ON much longer. Great heavens!
Was this 10 be the end OF all my rosy dreams? The
long, happy, eventful life which had pictured TO
myself was IL thus TO be cut short?
A caterpillar crawled rom my sleeve to one OF
the slabs. Ii was in the same danger as / but
knew 1t not. 1t came to the aluminium face and
tined 10 ascend; but, as 1t had less hold on the
polished surface, pun OF wind carried il away
It's sunerings began and ended with its FALL mine
might last Tor hours, and yet might never fan
Woe fOr memory, woe for consciousness. Had I
been SJotd like a brute, might have lain there
Tor hours and felt not touch OF pain, l envied
the caterpillar, for in the depth Of my agony was
well aware that my principal source or suffering
was racktng thoughts. tried TO distract my MIND
by looking around for objects OF interest; but the
dark, ghOStlike aspect OF the city had long begun
10 pail on me, and soon wearied OF my search
Greedy tells that when starving up In the
Arctic, his men used to discuss various kinds
OF food with great earnestnesS and come to
the CONCLUSION that there was none they were
not extremely fond OF. / felt something ike
that when in my dizzy solitude. l thought
there was no place / didn't like, except the
Wellknown hooks, where perhaps had formerly
spent weary hours; but at this time / Thought
they were patches OF heaven. Then thought how
many men We're not IN my place, and yet didn't
know their good fortune. How happy would be
were but where they were. Elsewhere! Blessed
word!
But then thought, Are they really all better of
thstn L? HOW many are lying in novels on the
damp ground. sieeplesS with hunger? How many
tAdt reciine on beds OF down tortured by sick
ness, out or the reach OF love or friendShip or
science. How many hapless victims are now In
the hands Of
No, / must not think OF that! Why should 7
make myself miserable by brooding over the MS
ery OF Others, when can bear no help?
The polished aluminium surface before me dis
"A "a Itt fc.